The ASVAB is a series of timed aptitude tests that are used to classify selected candidates into appropriate job roles as well as ultimately decide the eligibility of candidates for US military service. In other words, perform poorly on this test and you could severely limit your opportunities in the military or even prevent yourself from serving.
Don’t let the PC section of the test throw you for a loop. Unlike the individual multiple choice questions in other sections, here you will need to read a paragraph and answer several questions in a row based on that one paragraph. The people who designed this section of the exam really knew how to make sure you are able to read detailed (and often boring) documents, remember the details of what you read, understand why they’re important, and be able to pick out the key concepts they illustrate. When you read each paragraph, it’s helpful to know the kinds of questions you’ll be asked at the end. There are basically four kinds of questions to test your comprehension:
As in most militaries, members of the U.S. Armed Forces hold a rank, either that of officer, warrant officer or enlisted, to determine seniority and eligibility for promotion. Those who have served are known as veterans. Rank names may be different between services, but they are matched to each other by their corresponding paygrade.[23] Officers who hold the same rank or paygrade are distinguished by their date of rank to determine seniority, while officers who serve in certain positions of office of importance set by law, outrank all other officers in active duty of the same rank and paygrade, regardless of their date of rank.[24] In 2012, it was reported that only one in four persons in the United States of the proper age meet the moral, academic and physical standards for military service.[25]
The various armed forces adopted all of those aspects in 1976. At that point in time, the test was in its written form rather than today’s more common form (computerized test format). The written form covers all of the previously mentioned areas as well, which is why both forms are still available. All-in-all that answers the question concerning the intention of the test.
All test takers are given a summary results sheet that shows their percentile score in every test area. A percentile score of 50 means that a score was achieved that was better than 50 percent of all test takers. Percentile scores are given specifically for test takers of their gender and their grade level. Information obtained from the test is only shared with agencies within the Department of Defense. Test takers are informed that their specific scores will be used for up to two years for recruiting purposes. After two years, test scores will be used for research purposes only.
You are tested in four critical areas — Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension and Mathematics Knowledge (see below) — these scores count towards your Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT) score. The AFQT score determines whether you’re qualified to enlist in the U.S. military. Your scores in the other areas of the ASVAB determine how qualified you are for certain military specialties. Score high, and your chances of getting the specialty/job you want increase. The better score you get, the better chance you have of pursuing the specialty or field that you desire.
The paper-and-pencil version of the test administered at a Mobile Examination Test (MET) site usually takes 3–4 hours. The time needed to take the CAT-ASVAB test can vary. The test is adaptive. If the candidates answer a question correctly, they are given one of increasing difficulty. If the candidates miss a question, they are subsequently given an easier item. This pattern continues until the test is finished. Because of its adaptive nature, the CAT-ASVAB test generally takes about half the time of the paper-and-pencil version.
The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) is used by all of the Services to determine if an applicant is eligible for the military. Four of the ASVAB subtests are combined to form the AFQT. It measures general cognitive ability and is composed of verbal and mathematics subtests. AFQT scores are grouped into categories for reporting purposes. The table below shows the AFQT categories and the percentile score ranges corresponding to the categories. Applicants that score in AFQT category IIIA or higher may qualify for enlistment incentives.

In order to perform well on the ASVAB, you should take a practice test to get an idea of what you’ll encounter on the actual test. Also, completing a practice test will help you to feel more at ease on test day. Reading the test instructions and focusing your full attention on each question are both important steps to take. As you work through the test, avoid spending too much time on a single question. The test has a time limit and you don’t want to fall into the trap of running out of time before you arrive at the end of the test. Taking the time to provide thoughtful answers to test questions allows you to offer a clear picture of your skills and capabilities. Earning a high score on the ASVAB may give you more options when it comes to choosing a specialty.

There is another ASVAB score that's equally important, if not more so, because it is the score that determines if a person is eligible for military service. It's the Armed Forces Qualification Test score, or AFQT score. This score is calculated from only four of the nine Standard Scores on the ASVAB - Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), Paragraph Comprehension (PC), and Word Knowledge (WK). First, the WK and PC scores are added together, then the sum is doubled. This is known as the Verbal Expression (VE) score. The VE, MK, and AR scores are then added together, and the sum is the AFQT. This score is a straight percentile measure, expressed as a number from 1-99. The number is the percentage of people who scored lower than the test taker. For example, if a person receives an AFQT score of 63, that means that he did better on the test than 63% of the people who have taken it.

Ready to start preparing for the ASVAB? Take our free, 15-question ASVAB practice test on Study.com. Each free practice test comes with a diagnostic report of your strengths and weaknesses, so you'll know what to study next. After establishing a high-level understanding of what you need to focus on, become a Study.com member and gain access to custom ASVAB study guides and additional practice tests!
The development of breech loading had the greatest effect on naval warfare, for the first time since the Middle Ages, altering the way weapons are mounted on warships, and therefore naval tactics, now divorced from the reliance on sails with the invention of the internal combustion. A further advance in military naval technology was the design of the submarine, and its weapon, the torpedo.
To be admitted to the ASVAB testing room you will need to show a valid id. It is also important to be on time (or early!) since you will be turned away if you show up after the scheduled start time. The ASVAB can be given via computer or pencil and paper. If you are testing at a MEPS site you will take it on a computer. The pencil and paper version is given at most MET sites. The computer version of the test is given as a "computer adaptive test" (CAT) which means that the test will adapt based on the level of the individual test taker (e.g., if you answer many questions correctly, you may be shown fewer questions).
After adding so much information to the aptitude test, there was a bit of difficulty interpreting the test results. In addition to that, a vast majority of test takers were deemed as being under qualified based on their test results. This is why the percentile change was made. It ensured that a 50% actually correlated with a person doing better than 50% of the test takers. Those revisions have worked hand-in-hand with the preparation of the armed forces.